Site & performance · Germany
Sun path diagram for Berlin
Solstice and equinox sun paths, sunrise, sunset and day length for Berlin, computed for 2026 in local clock time.
The generator preloads Berlin, works out the UTC offset for any date from its time zone, and lets you change the projection, add obstructions and export SVG, PNG or CSV. All calculations run in your browser.
Sunrise, sunset and day length in Berlin
Local clock times for 2026 from the SunCalc engine, using the standard −0.833° sunrise and sunset horizon. Solar noon is when the sun crosses the local meridian; noon altitude is its height above the horizon at that moment.
| Date | Clock | Sunrise | Sunset | Solar noon | Day length | Noon altitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 20 equinox | UTC+1 | 06:10 | 18:19 | 12:15 | 12 h 09 min | 37.2° |
| June 21 solstice | UTC+2 | 04:44 | 21:34 | 13:09 | 16 h 50 min | 60.9° |
| September 22 equinox | UTC+2 | 06:53 | 19:08 | 13:00 | 12 h 15 min | 37.9° |
| December 21 solstice | UTC+1 | 08:16 | 15:55 | 12:05 | 7 h 39 min | 14.0° |
Where Berlin sits and how its clock works
Berlin lies at 52.52° north, 13.40° east, in the northern hemisphere's high-latitude belt. Its clocks follow the Europe/Berlin time zone, UTC+1 in winter and UTC+2 while daylight saving is in force, and every time on this page is already in the local clock time for its date.
Sun angles through the year in Berlin
The sun is highest on June 21, reaching 60.9° above the horizon at solar noon (13:09 local time). On December 21 it climbs only to 14°. The 46.9° difference is twice the 23.44° tilt of Earth's axis. At the March and September equinoxes the noon sun stands at about 37.6°, which is 90° minus the latitude. At solar noon the sun is always to the south, so the south-facing side of a building is the sunny one all year.
Sunrise swings a long way along the horizon during the year. On June 21 the sun rises at azimuth 47.9° (north-east) and sets at 312.5° (north-west); on December 21 it rises at 129.6° and sets at 230.8°. At the equinoxes it rises close to due east and sets close to due west. That 82° swing is why an east-facing window in Berlin gets generous summer morning sun and much less in midwinter.
Day length, sunrise and sunset
Daylight runs from 16 h 50 min on June 21 to 7 h 39 min on December 21, a difference of 9 h 11 min. Sunrise moves between 04:44 and 08:16 across the year and sunset between 15:55 and 21:34 on the local clock, daylight saving included. Solar noon falls at 13:09 on June 21 and 12:05 on December 21, the shift coming mostly from the change of clock offset.
What this means for buildings in Berlin
For design, winter sun is the scarce resource. At noon on December 21 the sun is only 14° above the horizon, so even low neighbouring buildings or trees can shade a site for most of the short day, and glazing on the south side pays off only if the sky in that direction is open. In summer the sun is up for 16 h 50 min, rising and setting far to the north, so the north-facing facade and roof receive a surprising amount of low-angle sun that overhangs cannot control. Check the actual horizon with the generator's obstruction mask before relying on winter sun.
Reading the diagram
The diagram uses the equidistant projection: the centre is the zenith, the outer ring is the horizon and the rings between mark 30° and 60° altitude, with north at the top and azimuth running clockwise. The dark curve is the September equinox, amber is June 21 and grey is December 21; the band between the amber and grey curves is the only part of the sky the sun ever occupies over Berlin, and dots mark every second clock hour. Open the generator to switch to a stereographic projection, choose any date, add up to eight obstructions and export the diagram as SVG or PNG, or the hourly data as CSV.